Generic software applications are frequently used to access external data sources when processing a request from a user. These applications typically require that a user provide technical details in order to access external data sources. For example, the user frequently must provide a database name, a table name, a column name, and/or a link column in order to access the external data sources. After these details are provided, such applications retrieve and display the information. As a result, the user is fully aware that they are accessing external data sources. If integration of local data and external data is desired, the user may then manually integrate the local and external data.